The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-06-22
FORTUNES IN INVENTIONS.
MEN WHO HOPE TO BECOME RICH
BY INvENTING SOMETHING.

'Tve got it, I've got it he he he
I've got it," and the old man rubbed his
hands together, and laughed until the
tears ran down his face and he could only
say in half whisper: GIVE got it; l
figured it all out in my sleep. 1t is a sue
cess; a perfect success. I've figured it
all out; three hundred million dollars.
Hel he he three hundred mill" He
cut himself short by plunging his face in
to basin Of water, which served the
double purpose of beginning his morning
toilet and preventing an attack of apo
plexy. With trembling hands he COM
pleted his toilet, giving an extra twist to
his frayed black tie, and a more careful
brushing to his threadbare coat, to make
his appearance accord better with the sta
ton in life he would hereafter occupy.
He was down to breakfast before his land
lady, who had seen better days in Vir-
ginia before the war, and claimed the
privilege of an extra half hour in bed,
had yet appeared tomeasure out the cof-
fee berries, and he walked up and down
the bare floor of the dining room impa-
tiently running his fingers through his
long tangled gray locks, while the ragged
old darkey, the maid of all work, was
down on her hands and knees blowing
up the fire. He was still impatient an
hour later, when he heard the heels of
his slipshod landlady tapping on the
stairs.
But when the coffee and hot rolls came
on he was gone. AS he walked along the
street toward the Patent Office he re-
peated to himself, "three hundred million
dollars. I've figured it out" Then he
began to figure out something else. He
thought how he could improve his per-
sonal appearance, then he thought Of his
joints, stiff with old age, and decided
upon a carriage first of all. Then his
thoughts were turned to his lodgings.
and then to his landlady and little bill
only matter of two months board
and he decided to pay at once, so that
she could pay back-rent the agent was
pressing for. Pshaw he would buy the
house and give it to her as a token of his
esteem, before moving into handsomer
quarters. The doors of the Department
were still closed. He walked around the
square until the clerks began to arrive
He saw the clerk who always comes half
an hour before hours, bringing with him
bundle of work he has done at home
overnight, and hopes some time to be
made chief of division. The old man
congratulated himself that he was not a
mere clerk He had been long time at
the task of his life, but he had at last
accomplished it, and he felt proud that
he had not yielded to even want and de-
graded himself to do ordinary work.
He was an inventor He had devoted
his whole life to it, and as he stood in
the patent examiners room, while that
polite, searching and analyZing gentle
man unlocked his desk, he felt that he
was about to astonish an old acquaint-
ance.
GIVE struck it, he said
The examiner smiled
81 have told you for the past twenty
years that would get it. Now have
it."
"Oh, yes" he added, as the examiner
was about to speak. II have thought
had it before, know. But this time /
know l have it. l have figured it all
out. 1t is thing the Government will
use exclusively. During the term of my
patent the Government will want hun
dred and fifty million of them, and shall
get royalty of two dollars piece. Three
hundred million dollars I've figured it
all out. Now, if you please, would like
my patent at once;" and he laid his
bundle of papers on the desk.
"You see, he added, after fumDling in
his pockets for moment, 81 Just haven't
the money for the fee with me, but its for
the use of the Government; it can be
taken out; l will open up with them
Proceed with the examination as fast as
you can"
''You can't do it2 Why its for the
Government Must you have the fee
down as if l were working on some pri-
vate concern2 Well, won't do it. |
won't advance a cent to such a Govern
ment for fees. The next thing they
would want my patent for nothing" AS
the old man walked home with the
papers under his arm all the novelty
gradually faded out of the invention.
He could not strike upon the line of his
calculations at all. He could no longer
fix the idea of the invention in his mind,
and in no way could he account for the
estimated $500, 900, 900. An hour later
he was in his room on the fourth floor,
with papers full of drawings and figures,
and bits of clock wheels and wood work
on his table, and scattered all over the
floor about him. In the afternoon he
went again to the Patent Office to look
over the thousands of drawings of patents
to see if he could not find something to
invent.
There he found dozen or more other
inventors, or lawyers employed by in
ventors, all looking over the drawings.
Some were looking to see if their plans
infringed on any other already patented.
or if there was not already something OF
the sort better than their inventions.
Others who have a chronic idea that they
ought to invent something, without any
definite idea what it should be, were
looking over the drawings for a sug
gestion. The old man found several there
who, like himself, had been deyoting
their lives to the invention Of something
to bring money into their hands without
working for it. These generally were en-,
gagged in looking over the drawings OF
electrical inventions or something of that
sort. lie saw there also a number who
had worked hard and had supnt money